QUEZON CITY11 March 2014
(Foundation for Media Alternatives for APCNews)

The Foundation for Media Alternatives is dismayed by the Philippine Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the constitutionality of the majority of provisions in a cyber crime law that the organisation views as oppressive, susceptible to abuse, and against the fundamental liberties guaranteed by the constitution.

The Philippine Internet Freedom Alliance (PIFA), integrated by APC member Foundation for Media Alternatives, released a statement in commemoration of the 1st year of the passage of the repressive Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 in the Philippines into law. PIFA is developing a week-long online campaign to make sure that netizens will not forget that even though the law was temporarily halted, vigilance should remain to ensure that the law is completely junked.

A mini-survey conducted by APC member Foundation for Media Alternatives in the Philippines revealed that more than half of those who have experienced some form of online violation did not do anything about it, showing that many still consider tech-related violence as trivial. To counter this situation, FMA takes action as a partner in APC’s project “End violence: Women’s rights and safety online.”

This year’s Take Back the Tech! campaign started with a renewed liveliness. Colnodo, Bytes for All, Foundation for Media Alternatives, Si Jeunesse Savait, OneWorldsee and Mexico partners from the “End violence: Women’s rights and safety online” project are promoting a number of activities that call to end violence against women and to promote empowering online spaces for women and girls.

On October 9, the Supreme Court of the Philippines will decide on the constitutionality of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012. This cyberlaw has been contested from day one, after internet activists had pointed to truly problematic provisions incompatible with internet rights.

From curiosity into knowledge and from knowledge into action—these were the transformations that Ashleen Graham experienced when she went to the Philippines to volunteer for the Women’s Education, Development, Productivity and Research Organization (WeDpro).